ABSC (Artlets Student Council) candidates debated over constitutional reforms and the future of the council’s transition plans on face-to-face classes.
Most candidates agreed that the AB constitution needed amendments, but nuanced on when and how it would be done.
Presidential aspirant Cyrille Coronado spoke about amending the bill of rights and giving students the right to reconsideration of their cases, stating it would protect student activists.
“Isa sa mga specific na gusto kong i-dagdag sa bill of rights is ‘yung pwede mag-appeal for reconsideration regarding the verdict ng kaso ng isang estudyante, ‘yung estudyante mismo kasi kailangan natin protektahan ung interest nila,” Coronado said.
VP aspirants Ierathel Tabuno and Timothy John Santiago both concurred on revising the constitution based on the needs of the student body.
“As Artlet student leaders, we have the responsibility to protect and serve the best interests of the AB student community. Which is why if meron nga pong urgency from the students and to create necessary revisions to the AB constitution, we will not hesitate to do so again,” Santiago said.
AB’s constitution was last revised in 2005, almost two decades ago.
Transitions to a new normal
Presidential aspirant Kim Dacanay from Dekada also agreed in spearheading constitutional reforms but focused on her platform for transitioning to face-to-face classes.
Meanwhile, Coronado’s platform for face-to-face transition is on centralizing information dissemination.
When asked if Dacanay’s plans for face-to-face transition included the resumption of membership fees for orgs, she said this would be on a case-to-case basis with the organization in question.
“Hindi tayo pwedeng maging super black-and-white on that, obviously kapag nasa student council ka, automatic na may student membership—nasa tuition na natin ‘yon,” Dacanay said.
As of writing, the Faculty of Arts and Letters is still in its planning stage for face-to-face classes, prioritizing courses where the learning competencies cannot be achieved via online means.
The student council voting period will last from April 4 to 8.
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